Latest news with #Holguin
Al-Ahram Weekly
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UN seeks breakthrough in Cyprus peace talks - International
The United Nations is pushing for a breakthrough when Cyprus's rival leaders meet in New York next week for a renewed attempt to revive stalled peace talks, an UN envoy said Monday. Maria Angela Holguin held separate meetings with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, crossing the island's UN-patrolled ceasefire line in a day of shuttle diplomacy. "All this effort the UN is doing is for the prosperity of the island, so that the people have a better life," Holguin, who was appointed the UN envoy to Cyprus earlier this year, told reporters after meeting Tatar. "And we continue to work, the commitment of the UN is totally for that, so we hope the leaders can think about that, and we have results next week." The meetings are part of preparations for talks in New York on July 16-17, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is due to meet both leaders. They followed a meeting in Geneva in March, which marked the first meaningful progress in years. At that gathering, both sides agreed on a set of confidence-building measures, including opening more crossing points across the divide, cooperating on solar energy, and removing landmines -- steps Guterres described as reflecting a "new atmosphere" and renewed urgency. "I hope we are going to have many advances on the measures they decided in March," said Holguin. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Turkish invasion followed a coup in Nicosia backed by Greece's then-military junta. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, declared in 1983, is recognised only by Ankara. The internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus, a member of the European Union, controls the island's majority Greek Cypriot south. The last major round of peace talks collapsed in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in July 2017. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas man pleads guilty to kidnapping child in Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A Texas man pleaded guilty Thursday to kidnapping a 3-year-old girl in 2021, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. Steven Holguin, 42, of El Paso, TX, pleaded guilty on conspiracy to commit kidnapping charges. A Birmingham police officer responded to a call regarding the kidnapping of a child on Nov. 4, 2021, according to the plea agreement. Family members said they believed that the child's uncle, Elis Salgado-Galindo, planned to take her to Mexico, where her father lives, or Honduras, where her father's family is located. 3-year-old girl found safe in Mississippi after being kidnapped from Ensley, 2 men charged After taking the child and leaving, an Amber Alert was issued along the Alabama/Mississippi State line. Rankin County and Mississippi Sheriff's Department issued a traffic stop on a vehicle that matched the description of Holguin's vehicle. Holguin, who was the driver, was instructed to exit the vehicle, and the other individuals along with the toddler were removed. Both men were taken into custody. Holguin was convicted in 2020 for conspiracy to transport aliens. He was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Salgado-Galindo, a citizen of Mexico, was turned over to ICE custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Al-Ahram Weekly
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks - International
A newly appointed U.N. envoy for Cyprus said Saturday she'll work hard to ensure concrete progress in measures to build trust between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in hopes of reviving moribund talks to heal the island nation's half-century ethnic division. Maria Angela Holguin said her weeklong stay in Cyprus aims to generate tangible results ahead of a July meeting in Geneva that will bring together U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, along with top diplomats from Greece, Turkey, and the U.K. Negotiations have been stalled since 2017. Trust-building measures include talks on opening new crossing points along a 180-kilometre (120-mile) U.N. control buffer zone that divides a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north from a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally recognised government is seated. Other measures that Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar agreed to implement in front of Guterres during a March meeting in Geneva included work on a photovoltaic park inside the buffer zone, demining and restoration work on cemeteries on either side of the divide. Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognises a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Holguin said Guterres 'continues to push' for a resumption of Cyprus peace talks. But that prospect faces a difficult hurdle in the form of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a peace deal based on two equal states, instead of a federation composed of Greek and Turkish-speaking zones that formed the basis of decades of U.N.-mediated negotiations. While Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots say the federation idea is now bankrupt, Greek Cypriots say they won't assent to any accord that formally partitions the island, allows for a permanent Turkish troop presence, gives Turkey rights to militarily intervene, and offers the minority Turkish Cypriots a veto right on all government decisions. Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said, despite any hurdles, the fact of Holguin's appointment indicates that the U.N. considers the resumption of peace talks 'completely feasible.' Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A newly appointed U.N. envoy for Cyprus said Saturday she'll work hard to ensure concrete progress in measures to build trust between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in hopes of reviving moribund talks to heal the island nation's half-century ethnic division. Maria Angela Holguin said her weeklong stay in Cyprus aims to generate tangible results ahead of a July meeting in Geneva that will bring together U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, along with top diplomats from Greece, Turkey and the U.K. Negotiations have been stalled since 2017. Trust-building measures include talks on opening new crossing points along a 180-kilometer (120-mile) U.N. control buffer zone that divides a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north from a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally-recognized government is seated. Other measures that Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar agreed to implement in front of Guterres during a March meeting in Geneva included work on a photovoltaic park inside the buffer zone, demining and restoration work on cemeteries on either side of the divide. Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Holguin said Guterres 'continues to push' for a resumption of Cyprus peace talks. But that prospect faces a difficult hurdle in the form of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a peace deal based on two equal states, instead of a federation composed of Greek and Turkish speaking zones that formed the basis of decades of U.N.-mediated negotiations. While Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots say the federation idea is now bankrupt, Greek Cypriots say they won't assent to any accord that formally partitions the island, allows for a permanent Turkish troop presence, gives Turkey rights to militarily intervene and offers the minority Turkish Cypriots a veto right on all government decisions. Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said despite any hurdles, the fact of Holguin's appointment indicates that the U.N. consider the resumption of peace talks 'completely feasible.'
San Francisco Chronicle
24-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A newly appointed U.N. envoy for Cyprus said Saturday she'll work hard to ensure concrete progress in measures to build trust between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in hopes of reviving moribund talks to heal the island nation's half-century ethnic division. Maria Angela Holguin said her weeklong stay in Cyprus aims to generate tangible results ahead of a July meeting in Geneva that will bring together U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, along with top diplomats from Greece, Turkey and the U.K. Negotiations have been stalled since 2017. Trust-building measures include talks on opening new crossing points along a 180-kilometer (120-mile) U.N. control buffer zone that divides a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north from a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally-recognized government is seated. Other measures that Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar agreed to implement in front of Guterres during a March meeting in Geneva included work on a photovoltaic park inside the buffer zone, demining and restoration work on cemeteries on either side of the divide. Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Holguin said Guterres 'continues to push' for a resumption of Cyprus peace talks. But that prospect faces a difficult hurdle in the form of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a peace deal based on two equal states, instead of a federation composed of Greek and Turkish speaking zones that formed the basis of decades of U.N.-mediated negotiations. While Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots say the federation idea is now bankrupt, Greek Cypriots say they won't assent to any accord that formally partitions the island, allows for a permanent Turkish troop presence, gives Turkey rights to militarily intervene and offers the minority Turkish Cypriots a veto right on all government decisions. Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said despite any hurdles, the fact of Holguin's appointment indicates that the U.N. consider the resumption of peace talks 'completely feasible.'
